Pipe or casing tongs



J. yGRANT ET A1.

PIPE OR CASING TONGS Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,708

Filed Nov. 26, 192'3 2 sheets-sheet 1 '2 Fly. 3'

ATTORNEYS Feb. 3. 1925. Y 1,524,708

J. GRANT ET AL PIPE 0R CASING TONGS Filed NOV. 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet.2

I N V EN TORS ATTORNEYS E in.. r

JoHN GRANT, or Los ANGELES, AND STEWART ncarirsnrnaor BERKELEY, `GALI-FORNIA; SAID CAMPBELL ASSIIGJN'OIB. TOA'SAIDGRANT.

PIPE OR CASING TUNGS.

Application led November 1923. Serial No. 676,987.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN GRANT, a citizen of the United States, andresident oit Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles rand State ofCalifornia, and STEWART L. CAMPBELL, a citizen oi' the United States,and resident of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalitornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe or CasingTongs, ot' which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to a tool for gripping work and pertainsparticularly to a Wrench or tongs which is adapt-ed to grip cylindricalwork, such as pipe, casing, rods, and the like. The invention, forillustrative purposes, is shown herein as embodied in a casing or pipetongs commonly employed in oil well work.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of a tool ofthe character de? scribed, which on being applied to the work willembrace the lat-ter and may be locked thereto, then will grasp the workto prevent relative turning of the work and tooll in either of itsdirections and will increase the grip with increase of turning stress.Another object of this invention -is to provide a. tool having agripping device operable at will to initially grip the work againstturning in either direction andv to entirely release the grip when sodesired. A further object of this invention is to provide a tool havinga locking device which may be released by the operator "from theposition at the handle of the tool.

These objects together with other objects and correspondingaccomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of our inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the tool in work embracing position with thelock closed and the gripping device in neutral position; Fig. 2 is aside elevation as seen looking in the direction of the arrows Q-2 inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 5%3 of Fig. 1 showingfragments of the tool on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a fragmentarysection on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 ot' l Fig. 1; Fig. 5is a plan view showing the tool in work embracing position with the lockjust closing, the dotted lines showing the lock jaws in open position;Fig. 6 is a section v showing in full lines the parts and work inembracing positionand the grippingfdevice in neutralk positioin'thedotted .lines showing the gripping device in position'to initially gripthe work preparatory to turning` infthe direction shown by thearrow;vand Fig. 7 shows theposition of thefparts asin FV ig.

6 with pressure appliedV to' the handle of the tool to turn the same inthe direction of the arrow. j v v j V`Referring morel particularly tothe draW- ing, they, handle of the tool'isindicated by A. The jawfheadis' indicated gener'al'lyby B and is adapted to embrace thewo'rk. Cindicates generally the lock 'for fastening the jaws together aboutthework and 'D the gripA device. f i

The handle A is; formed of a lever" 8 at the top of which is a.l pivotbolt 9. To the side 'of the pivot bolts are elongated slots 10 and 10similar in form. Extending through the elongated slots 10 and 10 arepins 1l and 11. Mountedjupon each pin on opposite sides of the handleVhead are links, the pairs of the links beingfindicated by 12 and 12.Spanning each pairof links at the upper end' and connecting them lis apin'upon which are pivotally mounted jaws 13 and 14. The pins are`indicated by 15 and 15. The pins overhang the ends of the links asbestshown in Fig. 3. Covering the links and jaws are plates 16 and 16 ofcrescent form. These plates are providedwith elongated slots in whichthe'pins 15 and 15 are disposed. Ears are provided upon the plates attheir edges and' have registering bolt openings so that spacing bolts'17' and 17 which connect` the plates may. be inserted.

The jaws 13' and 14 haveopposing semicircular recesses to receive thework. Toothed dies having teeth facing in opposite .direction aredetaehalbly mounted upon. the jaws adjacent the base of the opening. Alip 20 extends from the mouth of the jaw 13, and is arranged to receivea bail 21 which ispivotal1y `mounted upon a lipj22 on jaw 14. `Thestructure is such that .Whenthe jaws are closed, bail 21 v maybe swungover lip 20 to huold the jaws inV lockedposition. In orderto limit the'opening ofthe jaws, they are provided withstops 23 and 24 arranged toenga-ge the spla'c'ingboltsl and 17. A lean-spring 25 is secured totheside plates and vbears. upon the ends of bail in Fig. 1.

sition as shown in Fig. 1. An arm 26 is fixed to the bail and extendsoutwardly, being for the purpose of turning the bail into releasingposition against the action of spring 25. Connected to the arm is a line27 having its otherl end secured to the handle. The line is in suchposition that by a pull upon it the bail 21 may be swung into open orreleased position. A pull upon the line 27 not'only tends to release thebail but also to pull the jaw 14: into open position.

Pivotally mounted upon the handle is a lever 28 having a` cam head 29with an arcuate upper surface arranged to engage the lower surface oflink 12 or 12. The high spots of the cam surface are at the extremeedges. 'A `detent pin 30 is mounted in the lever 28 and is arranged toengage a recess in the hiandle 8, when lever 28 is in its central orneutral position.

The tool, preparatory to application to the Work, has its parts in theposition shown ln this position, the links 12 and 12 rest against thecam head 29. The jaws may be opened by releasing the bail 21. This isaccomplished by pulling upon line 27, turning the bail into the positionshown in Fig. 5. A further pull upon the line swings the jaw 14 into theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig 5. This pen mits the jaw 13 toswing outwardly, until the stops 23 and 2li on the jaws engage the bolts17 and 17 thus, limiting the anrount of opening which is so designed asto permit the entrance of the work. Due to the shape of the lips the`tool may be pressed gagainst the work fully opening jaw 13. After thejaw has embraced the work as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the toolis pressed against the work causing the aws to turn to the closedposition shown in Fig. 6. The pull upon line 27 is released permittingthe spring 25 to turn the bail into closed position ythereby locking thejaws. Suppiose it is desired to turn the work to the left. The operatorturns the handle from the position shown in full lines in Fig. G to thatshown in dotted lines. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig.7. The cam head will have moved the link 12 upwardly and forced the die19 into the work. Pressure upon the handle 8 in the direction of thearrow in Figs. G and 7 will cause a pull upon link 12, which'is conveyedthrough bail 21 to jaw 141-. The greater Athe pull the more iinmly thedieV bites into the pipe. The action oi' pressure upon the handle isshown in Fig. 7. Tf it is desired to turn the pipe or work in theopposite direction, lever 28 would have been moved to the right toprovide initial gripping of the pipe by die 18. The handle when turnedtoward the right would cause a pull upon link 12', it being .conveyedthrough the jaw 14, bail 21 to jaw 13, thereby causing the die 18 tobiteinto the pipe. When it is desired to release the tongs, the lever 28 isswung into its neutral position thereby permitting the links and jaws todrop. Line 27 is then pulled upon bringing the bail 21 into releasingposition. A further pull upon the line swings jaw 111 into open positionan-d the tool may be pulled away from the work.

`What we claim is:

1. rTongs comprising in combination spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted between said plates, opposing jaws mounted between said platesso as to permit pivotal movement and limited lineal movement in saidhead axially of said handle, means connecting each jaw and the` handlewhereby turning the handle will push one jaw against the work and pullt-he other jaw in the opposite direction, means to lock said jawstogether, means mounted on said handle to initially push one of said awsagainst the work.

2. Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted between said plates, opposing jaws mounted between said platesso as to permit pivotal movement and limited lineal movement in saidhead axially ot' said handle, means connecting each aw and the handlewhereby turning the handle will push one jaw against the work and pullthe other jaw in the opposite direction, means to lock said jawstogether, a lever pivotally mounted on said handle and having a camd'sposed to move said jaws, the contour of said cam being such that whenswung to one side it will initially move one of said jaws against thework.

3. Tongs comprising in combinaton spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted between said plates, opposing jaws mount ed between said platesso as to permit pivotal movement and limited lineal movement in saidhead axially of said handle, means connecting each jaw andthe handlewhereby turning the handle will push one jaw against the work and pullthe other j aw in the vopposite direct'on, said jaws being provided withlips, a bail pivotally mounted on one lip and disposed to engage theother whereby to lock said aws together, a spring tending to hold saidbail in closed position, an arm on said bail whereby the latter may beturned to release said jaws, a control line leading from said arm tosaid handle, nie-ans mounted on said handle to initially push one ofsaid jaws against the work.

1. Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted between said plates, opposing jaws mounted between said platesso as to permit pivotal movement and limited lineal movement in saidhead axially of said handle,

means connecting each jaw and the handle whereby turning the handle willpush one jaw against the work and pull the other jaw in the oppositedirection, said jaws being provided with lips, a bail pivotally mountedon one lip and disposed to engage the other whereby to lock said jawstogether, a spring tending to hold said bail in closed position, an armon said bail whereby the latter may be turned to release said jaws, acontrol line leading from said arm to said handle, a. lever pivotallymounted on said handle and having a cam disposed to operate said jaws,the contour oi' said cam being such that when swung to one side it willinitially move one of said jaws against the work.

5. Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted thereon between said plates, opposing jaws mounted between saidplates so as to permitpivotal movement and limited lineal movement insaid head axially of said handle, links one pivotally secured to eachjaw and to said handle, means to lock said jaws toget-her, dies in saidjaws for biting into the work, a lever pivotally mounted on said handleand having a cam head disposed to engage the bottoms of said links, thecontour of said cam being such that when said lever is swung to one sideit will move one of said links to force a jaw with its die against thework and whereby turning the handle will place a tension upon theopposite link.

6. Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, a handle pivotallymounted between said plates, opposing jaws mounted between said platesso as to permit pivotal movement and limited lineal movement in saidhead axially of said handle, links one pivotally secured to each jaw andto said handle, said jaws being provided with lips, a bail pivotallymounted on one jaw and disposed to engage the other to lock said jawstogether, a spring tending to hold said bail in closed position, an armon said bail whereby the latter may be turned to release said jaws, acontrol line leading from said arm to said handle, dies in said jaws forbiting into the work, a lever pivotally mounted on said handle andhaving a cam disposed to engage the bottoms of said links, the contourot' said cam being such that when said lever is swung to one side itwill move one of' said links to force a jaw with its die against thework and whereby turning the handle will place a tension upon theopposite link.

7 Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, opposing jaws mountedbetween said plates so as to permit pivotal movement and` thecorresponding jaw with its die againstv the work and whereby turning thehandle will place a tension upon the opposite link.

8. Tongs comprising in combination spaced plates, opposing jaws mountedbetween said plates so as-to permit pivotal movement and limited linealmovement in said head aXially of said handle, links one pivotallysecured to `each jaw and to said handle, said jaws being provided withlips, a bail pivotally mounted on the lip of one of said jaws anddisposed to hook over and engage the other lip whereby to lock said jawstogether, a spring tending to hold said bail in position, an arm on saidbail whereby the latter may be turned to release said jaws, a controlline leading from said arm to said handle, dies in said jaws for bitinginto the work, a lever pivotally mounted on said handle and having acamhead of arcuate shape with the high spots at the sides for engaging thebottoms of said links so that when said lever is swung to one side itwill move the link on that side and force the corresponding jaw with itsdie against the work and whereby turning the handle will place a tensionupon the opposite link.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 19th day of November, 1923.

JOHN GRANT.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 8th day of November, 1923,

STEWART L. CAMPBELL,

